Resilient surfaces for furniture



Dec. 6, 1955 M. HELLER RESILIENT SURFACES FOR FURNITURE Filed Dec. 7,1951 INVENTOR:

United States Patent RESILIENT SURFACES FOR. FURNITURE MaximilianHeller, London, England Application December 7, 1951, Serial No. 269,426

3 Claims. (Cl; 5-1 85) This invention relates to resilient surfaces inconjunction with support frames for chairs, couches, settees, springmattresses, vehicle seats or the: like (hereinafter referred to asfurniture or the like); and has: for its object the provision of asimple and highly effective resilient structure.

According to the present invention the resilient surface for furnitureor the like comprises in combination a rigid frame wherein a cushionsupport in the form of a cross extends partially or wholly over saidframe both laterally and longitudinally thereof said cushion supportbeing held suspended by a number of oppositely arranged tensionedtensile springs extending directly from the cushion support to the fourcorners of a rectangular area on said frame, there being a plurality ofsuch springs at each said corner radiating divergently therefrom towardsthe cushion support, the whole construction being such that theresilient surface constituted by the cushion support and the suspensionsprings extends across a large area so as to form a coherent unit, thelatter being characterised in that a great degree of resilientsupporting strength is ensured throughout the whole length and width ofthe cushion support.

In my prior patent No. 2,248,913, dated July 8, 1941, it has beenproposed to provide frames with resilient structures comprisingcrosswise-arranged strips or the like and tension springs, saidstructures being held above the base batons of said frames so as to formraised resilient edges. Whilst the teachings of the aforementionedpatent are sound, there is the disadvantage that the greater part ofthis structure, more especially the portion extending into the innerarea, does not provide sufficient support and thus this structure may beliable to excessive sagging on application of pressure. Moreover thestructure according to the specification referred to has some gaps andso does not afford a wholly satisfactory surface and its application hasonly a limited scope by comparison with the present invention.

The disadvantages inherent in my Patent 2,248,913 have been eliminatedin this present invention which further comprises various other featuresand forms of construction which will appear from the followingdescription made with reference to the accompanying drawing whichillustrates the invention by way of example and in which:

Fig. 1 shows in diagrammatic plan View two adjoining resilient unitshaving a common longitudinal member.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a bed inset fitted with two unitsaccording to the invention.

Referring to the drawing, in which like reference numerals denote likeparts, Fig. 1 shows two adjoining units having one common longitudinallydisposed cushion support member a and two laterally-extending supportmembers b.

The member a and members 11, which together form the cushion support,are suspended by oppositely-arranged and tensioned bearer springs c theinner ends of which are anchored at the cushion support forming a cross,and

2,725,580 Patented Dec. 6-, 1955 the outer ends of springs c aresecuredto the four corners of a. rectangular area on a frame (not shown). The

support members a and b may extend over the whole length and width of alarge frame area and may consist of wood, metal, steel,plasticcomposition, fabric, or the like, whilst the springs c radiatingfrom each corner are arranged in comparatively close relationship andsecured to the members a and b in such a manner that the latter togetherwith said springs c constitute a coherent structure providing a greatdegree of resilient supporting strength throughout said cushion support.

In order to provide an even more compact surface structure with smallergaps, the individual bearer springs 0 may be composed of a number ofcomponent springs joined together end-to-end or by intermediary linkingmeans such as rings, discs or hooks, the latter serving for holding inposition panel-filling. elements d consisting of bands, springs, ropesor the like.

The resilient surfaces may bearranged lower than or in a common planewith the top edge of its surrounding supporting frame and, if desired,said surface may be raised relative to the substructure of said frame.

Fig. 2 illustrates a bed inset comprising a supporting frame a on whichare mounted two separate units in accordance with the invention; saidunits may be interconnected by linking means consisting of springs,bands, ropes or the like. Some or all the outer ends of springs cradiating divergently from each of the four corners may be secured toattachment members g shown by way of example or said ends may be secureddirectly to the frame. In cases of adjacent units the outer ends ofsprings c appertaining to two units may be anchored at a commonattachment member as indicated in Fig. 1. The cushion-supporting membersa and b may be shorter in length and width than their supporting frameand may be arranged to freely intersect each other. Alternatively saidmembers a and b may be fastened together or be formed in one piece.

The bearer springs are preferably distributed so as to ensure an evenresilient support throughout the resilient surface, or if required someof said bearer springs may be made of heavier gauge or more tensionedthan others in order to obtain greater strength at one or several partsof the resilient surface, e. g. at the points farthest removed from theouter anchorages of the springs c or at the portion of a resilientsurface which ordinarily takes up most of the Weight on occupation.

Resilient surfaces in accordance with the present invention may beemployed in seats and backs of furniture or the like and may be providedwith fixed or detachable upholstery or loose cushions, mattresses or thelike.

I claim:

1. In an article of furniture, the combination of a rigid substantiallyrectangular frame having two longer sides and two shorter sides, twoattachment fixtures secured one at the middle of each of said longersides of said frame, a plurality of tensioned tensile springs of whichsome have their outer ends connected to corner portions of said frameand some have their outer ends connected to said attachment fixtures,and two cushion supports within said frame, the inner ends of all ofsaid springs being connected to said cushion supports, each of saidcushion supports being of the shape of a cross, each of said springsextending directly between said frame and one of said cushion supports,and there being at least four of said springs radiating divergently fromeach corner portion of said frame and at least four of said springsradiating divergently from each of said attachment fixtures to each ofsaid cushion supports, whereby said cushion supports are stronglyresiliently supported throughout their whole length and width.

2. In an article of furniture, the combination of a rigid substantiallyrectangular frame, at each of the four corners of a substantiallyrectangular area within said frame at least four tensioned tensilesprings connected by their outer ends to said frame and radiatingdivergently into said area, and a cushion support in the form of a crosswithin said area extending over substantially the full length and widthof said area, the inner end of each of said springs being secured tosaid cushion support and each of said springs extending directly betweensaid frame and said cushion support, whereby said springs substantiallyfill the four spaces between said frame and said cushion support, andsaid cushion support is strongly resiliently supported throughout itslength and width.

3. In an article of furniture, the combination of a rigid substantiallyrectangular frame having two longer sides and two shorter sides, twoattachment fixtures secured one at the middle of each of said longersides of said frame, a plurality of tensioned tensile springs of whichsome have their outer ends connected to corner portions of said frameand some have their outer ends connected to said attachment fixtures,and a plurality of cushion support elements within said' frame, theinner ends of all said springs being connected to said cushion supportelements, said cushion support elements being of elongated form andcrossing one another to form at least one cross, each of said springsextending directly between said frame and one of said-cushion supportelements, and there being at least four of said springs radiatingdivergently from each corner portion of said frame and at least four ofsaid springs radiating divergently from each of said attachment fixturesto said cushion support elements, whereby said cushion support elementsare strongly resiliently supported throughout their whole length andwidth.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS969,963 Laa Sept. 13, 1910 2,248,913 Heller July 8, 1941 2,574,871Heller Nov. 13, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 518,060 Great Britain Feb. 15, 1940525,693 Great Britain Sept. 3, 1940 812,040 France Jan. 27, 1927

